Picking mechanism



Dec- 24, 1963 o. FREGEOLLE ETAL 3,115,021

PICKING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 29, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 De- 24, 1963 o. FREGEOLLE ETAI.

PICKING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 29, 1962 INVEN TOR. Osc/a l? FREGEoL 5. HAROLD Wfl/TE.

A TTORNE Y Dec- 24, 1963 o. FREGl-:oLLE ETAL PICKING MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

OSCAR FKEGEOLLE By HAROLD WHITE.

Filed Jan. 29, 1962 M @Mag A TTURNE Y Dec- 24 1963 o. FREGEOLLE ETAL 3,115,021

PICKING MECHNISM Filed Jan. 29, 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INV EN TOR. OSCAR FREGEOLLE HAROLD WHITE.

A TTORNEY UnitedStates Patent VC) 3,115,021 PECKNG MECHANHSM @scar Fregeolle, Lincoln, Harold White, @umheriand, Rdf., assignors to The Banner Company, Central Falls, R., a corporation of Rhode isiand Filed Een. 29, 1962, Ser. No. 169,381 i4 Ctaims. (Cl. @5 47) This invention pertains to independent needle knitting machines land, particularly, to circular hosiery knitting machines and an improved needle picking device therefor.

AIt is a general object of the invention to provide a picking mechanism which is easily manufactured and which has a minimum number of parts which can be quickly and easily replaced and which requires no adjustments for proper performance of its intended function.

It is la further object of the invention to provide a pick which is capable of raising a desired needle to an inactive pathway `after said needle has passed the gap opening of the mouthpiece, lessening the possibilities of closing or damaging the needle latches.

Iit is a further object of the invention Iand as a safety feature to provide picks which assemble to the cam block and which will move away from the cylinder in the event of accidental movement of said block.

It is la further object ofthe invention to provide a novel picking means that is capable of eifecting greater patterning possibilities and which is more positive and versatile in operation than those picking mechanisms of the prior art.

llt is a further object of the invention to utilize a novel guard cam intermediate the stitch cams for maintaining the needles at a given level land for guiding said needles to the picking means.

lt is a further and more speeiiic object of the invention to provide a picking device having ythe foregoing advantages @and yet be capable of picking up needles having either short, medi-urn or long butts.

Further objects and advantages will become apparent from the following more detailed disclosure.

The selective picking of needles is a common practice in most hosiery machines and such picks of the prior art normally include ya shank member which is adapted to swing on a pivot positioned vat an yangle to the centerline axis of the needle cylinder. The pick member being positioned on the free end of the pivotable shank member permits said pick member, on a picking indication, to swing into a position to engage the butts of one or more needles and the impact and rotation of the passing needle butts cause the pick to swing away from this needle path thus raising the engaged needles to another pathway which they will follow until their intended function is accomplished.

Picks of this type do not possess the versatility of the instant invention and present certain limitations with regard to selective picking of certain needles. As is well known to those familiar with the art, hosiery machines include knitting instrumentalities with operating butts of more than one length and one such limitation can be attributed to this factor in that the manner in which this type of pick is caused to function prevents it from displacing the instrumentalities having short butts from one pathway `to another. The arc in which the pick is caused to swing is such that if the short butts were engaged by the pick, the pick when caused to swing as heretofore described, would separate from the operating butts which it is picking before the needle affected by this movement has been displaced the necessary distance.

According to the mechanism of the instant invention the foregoing `objects are :accomplished by means of oscillatable picks situated on the other periphery of disclike members which assemble directly in back of the ICC stitch cams and on said cams supporting stud that positions said cams and which Iis further supported by and movable with the cam block. A novel guard cam is uti ized in conjunction with these picking members and serves to maintain the needles at a given level as well as to guide them toward the stitch cam and the butt engaging means forming a part of the disc-like member. intermediate the supporting stud and the disc-like member, the latter is provided with an anti-friction bearing which permits easier oscillating movement of this member and the picking means forming a part thereof. 'Phe impact of the needle butts with the pick through rotation of the needle cylinder causes the disc-like member to move about its axis, land the pick being iiXediy positioned on the outer periphery thereof causes at least one needle to be raised to another pathway.

The disc-like member being spring biased is continually urging the pick to its initial picking position and it also has a further means for withdrawing the pick from butt engaging position.

The invention will be described in detail by reference to specific embodiments thereof one of which is illustrated in the accompanying iigures of drawing, wherein:

lFlG. l is a plan view showing a portion of the cylinder in section, the main cam block, the relationship of the stitch cams and oscillatable picks assembled thereto and the mechanism utilized to withdraw the pick from butt engaging position.

'FGURE 2 is a view in side elevation looking in the direction of the indicating arrows of line 2 2, in FIG. 1 at la portion of the linkage mechanism utiiized to withdraw the pick from Vbutt engaging position.

'FIGURE 3 is a view similar to that of EFlG. 2, but lookiny in the direction of the indicating arrows 3 3 in FIG. l of further linkage util-ized for the withdrawing of the pick.

FIG. 4 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of a portion of 4the butt withdrawing linkage shown in the lower part of BIG. l.

FIG. 5 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of the cylinder, cam block, stitch cams 4and oscillatable picks shown in FIG. 1.

fFlG. 6 is a View in front elevation of the cam block, stitch cams and oscillat-able picks shown in FIG. 5.

FEiG. 7 is a view in side elevation looking in the direction of the indicating arrows of line 7 7 in FIG. 5

PIG. 8 is a view in side elevation looking in the direction of the indicating arrows of line 6 8 in iFIG. 5, showing a portion of the cam block, the oscillatable pick and its means of support.

iF-IG. 9 is a view in side elevation looking in the direction of the indicating arrows of lin-e 9 9 in BIG. 5, showing the cam block, the stitch cams and oscillatable picks assembled thereto and the pathway followed by the butts of the knitting instrumentalities when moving in `the direction of the indicating arrow.

FIG. l0 is a View similar to that of FIG. 9 but on an enlarged scale showing only la portion of the cam block, the stitch cam and oscillating pick assembled thereto, their relationship to the ycenter and guard cams, the various positions the pick is caused to assume when displacing certain needles and the resilient means which constantly urges this member toward its initial engagin-g position.

LFIG. 11 is a sectional view taken along line 1;1 .ll1 of FIG. 5 showing the anti-friction bearing on which the pick member is caused to oscill-ate.

`lFiCl. 12 is a view in side elevation looking in the direction of the indicating arrows of line i12-12 in FIG. 1.

.'FIG. 13 is a view in side elevation looking in the direction of the indicating arrows of line |13 ^13 in FIG. l showing la portion of the linkage for withdrawing one 3 only of the oscillating picks from a butt engaging position.

Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown in section a portion of a needle cylinder indicated generally by numeral 2t). A cam plate 21 extends about the circumference of the cylinder and is positioned below the top surface thereof. Immediately adjacent to cylinder J, cam plate 2 supports a cam block 2,2 whcih is selectively movable as is well known to those familiar with the art toward and away from said cylinder. Movement of the cam block is guided by means of a cam block slide 23, the upper half of which assembles in a recess 24 formed on the underside of the block and the protruding half of this member is adapted to be received by a recess 25 provided in the cam plate 21 which serves to guide the cam block 22 during endwise or lateral movement thereof.

Cam block 22 extends forwardly and rearwardly of recess 2S and its upper portion being generally wedgeshaped, the forward and rearward upper ends taper inwardly as at 26 and 27 in the general direction of the centerline axis of the needle cylinder. Within openings in these portions of the cam block and at substantially the same angle as ends 26 and 27, there assembles front and rear stitch cam supporting rods 23 and 29, respectively, which are fixedly positioned therein by means of set screws 30. These supporting rods extend through the cam block and support stitch cams 31 and 32 on the innermost ends thereof being integral therewith. The stitch cams are positioned in close proximity to the needle cylinder and are movable with the cam block outwardly from the cylinder and away from butt engaging position. Intermediate the stitch cams and the cam block the supporting rods 28 and 29 further support oscillataole disclike pick carrying members 33 and 34 having detachable picks 35 and 35 assembled to the outer periphery thereof by means of screws 37 and 38, respectively, as shown in FIGS. 9, 10 and 11.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is depicted in FIG. 11 wherein an anti-friction bearing 39 is utilized intermediate the supporting rods and the disc-like pick carrying members assuring smooth and positive oscillation of the latter when caused to raise one or more needles to an inactive pathway and then return to their initial butt engaging position. These pick carrying members are continually urged to the butt engaging position by a resilient means which comprises a coil spring 4t) that is adapted to assemble within a circumferential groove 41 which forms a part of the outer circumference of said pick carrying members 33 and 34. As illustrated in FIGS. 9

and 10, spring rit! is attached within groove 41 at one end,

and adjacent to the detachable pick 36, by means of a screw 42. Extending around a portion of this disc-like member and within groove 41, the opposite end of spring is anchored to the base portion of cam block 22 by means of screw L53. The positive rotation of the moving butts in their respective pathway when contacting the oscillatable pick causes the latter to move about its axis raising at least one needle butt to another pathway and at the same time expanding spring 4t?. When the butt passes out of the pick, the retraction of spring 4t) to its original length causes the pick member to automatically return to its initial butt engaging position.

In combination with stitch cams 31 and 32 the cam block 22 further supports a center cam 44- and a guard cam 45. The guard cam is positioned in a generally centralized location between the stitch cams 31 and 32 and in general alignment with and directly below the center cam 44. The center cam 44 is of conventional design; however, the guard cam 45 is novel in that its upper surface includes a step portion d6 which permits the butt engaging portion of the pick to seat in said step portion prior to being engaged by the first of a group of needle butts moving along the upper surface of this cam. The upper surface of this cam maintains the needles at a given level and eliminates the possibilities of drop stitches or .4 failure of a needle to knit because of its chopping below its intended pathway.

The oscillatable disc-like pick carrying members 33 and 34 each include a means for withdrawing these members from butt engaging position. This means includes a platelike member d'7 assembled on the stitch cam supporting rods 28 and 29 intermediate the cam block 22 and the disclike pick carrying members 33 and 34.

The plate-like member 47 has protruding from its upper surface a linkage connecting ear i3 and in general alignment therewith on the opposite side thereof it is provided with a lug member 49. This lug member is adapted to engage a stud member Si) which is located on and protrudes from that side of the disc-like members facing the cam block 22, FIGS. 8 and l1.

Movement of the linkage connecting ears i8 by the link members connected thereto and in the direction of. the indicating arrows of FIGS. 1, 5 and 8 causes these members to oscillate in a manner to be more fuliy explained hereinafter. Movement in this manner permits withdrawal of the picks without raising needles to another pathway and for patterning purposes permits the would-be raised needles to follow the regular knitting track pathway. Movement of ear 4S causes lug member 49 to push stud member 59 thus rotating the disc-like pick carrying members a distance sucient to withdraw the picking member from butt engaging position. This movement also causes expansion of spring 4t) and when the pick member is allowed to return to its initial butt engaging position through contraction of said spring to its normal length, the outer sides of the lug members 49 are caused to strike against stop members 51 and 52 (as at 53 in FlG. 8) which are positioned on the front and rear, respectively, of cam block 22 by means of screws 5ft thus preventing overthrow of the pick members and to assure proper positioning thereof.

Both the disc-like pick carrying members 33 and 34 can be withdrawn from an active to inactive position by means of similar linkage systems illustrated in FIG. l. The plate-like member 47 for controlling disc 33 has attached to its linkage connecting ear 4S a link rod 55 whose opposite end is pivotally connected as at 56 to an upright lever 57. Lever 5'7 is pivotally connected at its lower end as at 58 to a vertical mounting bracket 59. Inter'- mediate the ends of lever 57 there assembles an outwardly extending, pivotal and adjustable link member 6i?, the outer end of which is pivotally connected to one arm 61 of a bell crank lever 62 pivoted at 63. Intermediate the ends of arm 61 there assembles a cam follower 64 which when caused to ride up on butts 65 of pattern drum 66 causes link rod 55 to move in the direction of the indicating arrow and in turn rotates disc 33 withdrawing pick 35 from butt engaging position. To this point, disc member 34 is controlled in an identical manner and a detailed description thereof is considered unnecessary at this point; however, both disc members 33 and 34 have separate secondary control means for selectively withdrawing these members and will hereinafter be described in further detail.

The control disc bracket shaft 67 of conventional construction is utilized to further control disc members 33 and 3dby means of cam supporting discs 68 and 69, respectively, situated on the outer ends of said shaft. The second arm 7i) of bell crank lever 62 extends forwardly and has pivotally attached to the outer end thereof a link member 71 extending at substantially a right angle thereto and pivotally connected at its opposite end to the lower end 0f a substantially vertical double armed lever indicated generally by numeral 72 and pivoted at 73. The upper arm 715 of lever 72 is provided with an integrally formed cam follower 75 which is adapted to be acted upon by cam 75 which assembles to the outer periphery of the cam supporting disc 68. This camming action upon follower 75 causes lever 72 to pivot at 73 which in turn moves link member '71 in the direction Of the indicatmg arrows of FIGS. l and 3. This motion is transmitted back through the bell crank lever 62 to the adjustable link member 70, thence to the upright lever S7 which withdraws the pick carrying disc 33 from butt engaging position by means of link rod 55 and the plate-like member 47 interconnected therewith. The upper arm 74 is detachable from lever 72 and is hinged thereto by means of a pin 76 which permits this member to be tilted rearwardly selectively to prevent cam follower 7S from being acted upon by cam 76 situated on the outer periphery of the constantly rotating disc 68. The mechanism for selectively controlling this tilting movement comprises a pivotally mounted, horizontally disposed cam follower member indicated generally by numeral 77 having an elongated body portion, one end of which is slotted as at 78 and its opposite end '79 serves as the follower portion that is adapted to be acted upon by cam 8@ which will be described hereinafter in further detail.

Cam follower '77 is provided with an inwardly extending lug S1 intermediate its ends which serves as a pivot point for this member. This pivot point includes a bolt S2 the shank portion of which passes through an aperture in lug 8l and assembles in a mounting bracket 33 beneath said pivot point. A coil spring S4 positioned on bolt 82 and intermediate the head portion of said bolt and lug 31 resiliently urges the follower portion 79 to a position to be acted upon by cam titl. The slotted end 78 of follower 77 is adapted to receive therein the upper portion of a control pin 35 which assembles in and protrudes from the upper extremity of the upper arm '7dof the double armed lever 72. Cam Sti is positioned on the outer periphery of the auxiliary pattern drum control 85 which is supported by, above and in alignment with pattern drum 66 by means of an extending support member 87 which is Commonly referred to as the wine cup. Control drum 86 is caused to rotate by means of indexing in a manner well known to those conversant in this art and fully disclosed in US. Patent 2,217,022 and during rotation thereof cam Si) is caused to act upon cam follower 77 pivoting the slotted end 78 rearwardly, thus tilting arm '74 and follower 75 in that direction and out of the pathway of cam 76. Tilting arm 74 rearwardly in this manner permits the pick withdrawing linkage to remain idle enabling said pick to remain in but engaging position.

As heretofore described the disc-like pick carrying member 34 has a secondary means for withdrawing it from butt engaging position similar to that described above for member F53 which includes a bell crank lever indicated generally by numeral 83 and pivoted at S9. One arm 9i) of this bell crank lever extends outwardly and has pivotally attached to the outer end thereof a link member 91 extending at substantially a right angle thereto and pivotally connected at its opposite end to the lower end of a generally vertical lever 92. Lever 92 is iixedly attached at its upper end to a longitudially directed and horizontally disposed motion transmitting rod 93 which is supported at one end by means of a supporting bar 9d and is further supported adjacent its opposite end by means of the control disc shaft bracket 95 through which it passes. This end of rod 93 has xedly assembled thereto a generally vertical cam follower member 96 that is adapted to be acted upon by a detachable cam 97 positioned on the outer periphery of a constantly rotating control disc 69. Movement of cam follower 9d in this manner causes rod 93 to turn a short distance in a clockwise direction as viewed from line 12-12 in FIG. l which in turn acts upon the remaining linkages heretofore described causing them to move in the direction of the indicating arrows shown in FIGS. l and l2 resulting in withdrawal of pick carrying member 34 from butt engaging position.

Additionally, there is a further means by which these pick carrying members 53 and 3d may be withdrawn from their initial butt engaging position and by way of example FlGS. l and 3 illustrate the mechanism as applied only to the rear pick carrying member 3d and which, de-

pending upon the desired pattern, may also be applied to member 33. This mechanism includes a bell crank lever indicated generally by numeral 98 pivoted at 99 and is supported by a mounting bracket lili) which assembles to the base portion of cam block 22 as at 101. A first arm 1133 of this bell crank lever has pivotally attached thereto one end of a link rod 103 whose opposite end is pivotally connected to an upright lever 1194 which functions in the same manner as upright lever 57 utilized to withdraw the front pick carrying member 33 from butt engaging position.

A second arm 195 of this bell crank lever has pivotally connected to its outer end one end of a link rod 106, and the opposite end extends through an aperture provided in the upper portion of a vertical lever 107. A collar 108 adjustable along the length of rod 106 is lixedly positioned on that portion of said rod which protrudes through the aperture in lever 1117. This lever is attached at its lower extremity to one end of a horizontal and longitudinally disposed motion transmitting rod 169. This rod is supported adjacent its ends by the side walls of the yarn change lever bracket 110 through which it passes and has aliixed to its forward end a horizontally disposed lever arm 111 which extends laterally at approximately a right angle thereto. Lever arm 111 is provided with an aperture in the outer end thereof through which a vertical link rod 112 passes and includes an adjustable collar 113 iixedly positioned thereon above and adjacent the aperture in said arm. The lower end of link rod 112 is pivotally connected to a first arm of a double armed lever 114 as at 115. Lever 114 is pivotal on and supported by a mounting bracket 116 and has pivotally connected to the outer end of its second arm as at 117 a vertical link rod 11S. The latter link rod carries a cam follower 119 at its lower end which is adapted to be acted upon by a detachable cam 129 situated on the outer periphery of a control disc 121 that assembles on the main pattern shaft 122 and which is caused to rotate therewith. Cam follower 119 when acted upon by cam 12) pushes link rod 11S upwardly pivoting lever 114 causing link rod 112 and arm 111 to be pulled downwardly thus rotating rod 109 a short distance in a clockwise direction. This motion is transmitted to lever 1&7 which in turn causes the link rods 193 and 166 pivotally connected to the bell crank lever 9d to move in the direction of the indicating arrows illustrated in FIGS. l and 3 withdrawing the pick carrying member fifi from butt engaging position.

ln operation, the needles function in a manner well known to those familiar with the art and the pattern selected needle butts 123 follow their respective pathways to perform their intended functions; however, according to the instant invention a novel means is employed which is capable of raising either short, medium or long butt needles from one pathway to another.

in FIG. 9 butts 123 are shown moving in the direction of the indicating arrow. They are caused to travel over the top of stitch cam 31 and then are directed downwardly by center cam id to the guard cam 4S.

The lip or butt engaging portion 36 of pick 36 is seated in the step portion of cam 45 which positions said lip below the upper edge of this cam and the moving needle butts are guided into the throat of the pick with no danger of striking the outer end of said pick. When the rst of a group of needles reach the picking point, the impact of the butts against the pick and rotation of the needle cylinder causes the pick carrying disc member to rotate about its axis a distance sufficient to raise one or more of the leading needles (depending upon the length of the lip) to an inactive pathway. The disc member 34 is then urged back to its initial position by spring di), but the pick is not permitted to seat again in step i6 of the guard cam until the butts of the remaining needles of that particular group have passed beyond this point. Until the remaining needles have passed beyond this point, the pick While being urged to its initial position is caused to bear against the upper edge of the butts as shown in FIG. 10. The pick being spring biased in the direction of its initial position and in contact with the upper edge of the needle butts cannot displace or lower the needles to a position where they would fail to take yarn as the lower portion of said butts are being guided by the upper edge of cam Li5 which maintains them at a given level. rThe remaining needles after passing beyond guard cam 4S permit the pick to return to its initial position and are directed downwardly by stitch cam 32 and caused to knit in the regular manner.

The needle butts when caused to reverse their direction of travel are guided upwardly over the back of stitch cam 32 and follow their selected path of travel without interference with that end of the pick opposite the end adapted to engage said butts when moving in the direction of the indicating arrow shown in FIG. 9. As shown in FIG. 10 the end of the pick is below the pathway of the butts as at 36" and enables the butts when traveling in a reverse direction to ride over the top of the pick and then be directed downwardly by the center cam 44 to guard cam 45 where they will follow the aforementioned procedure of picking but in the opposite direction.

Picks mounted on the cam blocks and caused to function in the manner heretofore described permit a wider range of needle selection. This has been made possibie by positioning the picks on the outer periphery of vertical disc-like members mounted on anti-friction bearings and in close proximity to the needle cylinder. The small radius through which the pick is caused to swing permits the needle butt to be raised on a greater angle than heretofore possible and also permits a quicker return of the pick member to its initial position. Through this means it is now possible, if desired, to raise every fourth needle to another pathway. With the picking mechanisms of the prior art the limitations were much greater because of the arc of movement through which the pick had to travel, and in combination with the time required to swing said pick upwardly and then back to its initial position, the selection of needles was limited to every Seventh needle. Being able to raise every fourth needle to another pathway with the novel picks of the instant invention is based on a hosiery machine having a fourinch diameter cylinder with 84 needles; however, this figure would vary with a machine of tiner gauge or different cylinder diameter. With respect to the cylinder movement, applicants picks are permitted to raise a needle to another pathway and return for another needle within seventeen degrees of movement of the needle cylinder which is nearly half the distance required with the picking mechanism of the prior art for a cylinder of the same diameter. The various control means provided for the picks and selective cam arrangements make possible unlimited pick control to permit the knitting of patterns not otherwise possible.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive concept may be carried out in a number of ways. This invention is, therefore, not to be limited to the precise details described, but is intended to embrace all variations and modications thereof falling within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the claims.

We claim:

1. For a circular, independent needle, knitting machine of the type having a rotatable needle cylinder and knitting instrumentalities having butts movable in said cylinder, a pick for displacing needles from one pathway to another which comprises a disc-like member, a bearing upon which said disc-like member is oscillatable, a butt engaging means forming a part of the disc-like member and a resilient means for returning the pick to an initial position after it has been oscillated by the butt of an instrumentality displaced by it.

2. For a circular, independent needle, knitting machine of the type having a rotatable needle cylinder, and

Cil

knitting instrumentaiities having butts movable in said cyiinder, an oscillatablc pick for displacing needles from one pathway to another which comprises a disc-like member having said pick detachably mounted to the outer periphery thereof, a disc supporting member and .a bearing member upon which said disc-like member is oscillatable, a guard cam for guiding the butts of said knitting instrumentalities to a point where at least one of said instrumentalitics is caused to be raised to an inactive pathway by said pick when making contact therewith, a resilient means for returning said pick to an initial position after it has been oscillated by the butt of an instrumentality dispiaced by it, and a further means for selectively withholding said pick out of butt engaging position.

3. The structure of claim 2 wherein said resilient means includes an expansion spring one end of which is attached to said disc-like member and the opposite end to said supporting member.

4. The structure or" ciaim 2 wherein said bearing member comprises an anti-friction bearing upon which said disc-like member is oscillatable.

5. The structure of claim 2 wherein said guard cam is provided with a top planar surface and a lower stepped surface adjacent thereto, said top planar surface being adapted to guide the butts of said knitting instrumentalities to the knitting cams.

6. For a circular, independent needle knitting machine having a rotatable needle cylinder, knitting instrumentalities slidable in said cylinder, pick means for displacing said instrumentalities from one level to a second level in said cylinder which comprises a cylindrical supporting member, a cylindrical bearing encompassing one end of said supporting member, and a further member including a pick mounted on said bearing, said pick being movable in an arc concentric with said bearing and supporting members.

7. For a circular, independent needle knitting machine having a rotatable needle cylinder, knitting instrumentalities slidable in said cylinder, pick means for displacing said instrumentalities from one level to a second level in said cylinder which comprises a supporting member, a bearing mounted on said supporting member, a disclike member mounted on said bearing, and a pick detachably mounted to said disc-like member.

8. The structure of claim 7 wherein said pick is mounted adjacent the outer periphery of said disc-like member.

9. For a circular, independent needle knitting machine having a rotatable needle cylinder, knitting instrumentalities slidable in said cylinder, a relatively stationary cam block, a pair of cylindrical supporting members mounted in said cam block, a bearing mounted on each of said supporting members, and a pick carrying member mounted on each of said bearings.

l0. For a circuiar, independent needle knitting machine having a rotatable needle cylinder, knitting instruinentalities slidable in said cylnider, a relatively stationary cam block, a pair of cylindrical supporting members mounted in said cam block, a bearing mounted on each of said supporting members, a disc-like member mounted on each of said bearing members, and a pick detachably mounted to each of said disc-like members.

1l. For a circular, independent needle knitting machine having a rotatable needle cylinder, knitting instrumentalities slidable in said cylinder, a relatively stationary cam block, a pair of cylindricai supporting members mounted in said cam biock, a bearing mounted on each of said supporting members, a disc-like member mounted on each of said bearing members, a pick mounted on one of said disc-like members in a manner to be citeetive upon a clockwise movement of that member, and a second pick mounted upon the other of said disc-like members in a manner to be effective upon a counterclockwise movement of said other member.

12. The structure of claim ll which further includes a rst spring member adapted to urge said one of said disc-like members in a counterclockwise direction, and a second spring member adapted to urge the other of said disc-like members in a clockwise direction.

13. For a circular, independent needle knitting machine having a rotatable needle cylinder, knitting instrumentalities slidable in said cylinder, a relatively stationary cam block, a pair of cylindrical supporting members mounted in said cam block, a bearing mounted on each of said supporting members, a disc-like member 10 mounted on each of said bearing members, a pick mounted on one of said disc-like members in a manner to be effective upon a clockwise movement of that member, and a second pick mounted upon the other of said disclike members in a manner to be effective upon a counterclockwise movement of said other member, and independent control means for each of said disc-like mem- 10 bers adapted selectively to render either of said picks inactive.

14. For a circular, independent needle knitting machine having a rotatable needle cylinder, knitting instrumentalities slidable in said cylinder, a relatively stationary cam block, a pair of cylindrical supporting members mounted in said cam block, a bearing mounted on each of said supporting members, and a pick carrying member mounted on each of said bearings, and a guard cam attached to said cam block intermediate the pick carrying members.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 15 2.751,769 Wawzonek June 26, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 567,990 Italy Oct. 17, 1957 

6. FOR A CIRCULAR, INDEPENDENT NEEDLE KNITTING MACHINE HAVING A ROTATABLE NEEDLE CYLINDER, KNITTING INSTRUMENTALITIES SLIDABLE IN SAID CYLINDER, PICK MEANS FOR DISPLACING SAID INSTRUMENTALITIES FROM ONE LEVEL TO A SECOND LEVEL IN SAID CYLINDER WHICH COMPRISES A CYLINDRICAL SUPPORTING MEMBER, A CYLINDRICAL BEARING ENCOMPASSING ONE END OF SAID SUPPORTING MEMBER, AND A FURTHER MEMBER INCLUDING A PICK MOUNTED ON SAID BEARING, SAID PICK BEING MOVABLE IN AN ARC CONCENTRIC WITH SAID BEARING AND SUPPORTING MEMBERS. 